Practice
Come phrasal verbs: meanings and examples
Sign in to saveThe verb come usually suggests movement towards a place. Add a short word, though, and come across can mean find by chance while come up can mean happen or be mentioned.
Understand and use six common phrasal verbs with come by choosing the meaning that fits the context.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
come across /kʌm əˈkrɒs/
The short answer
Common phrasal verbs with come include come across (find by chance), come back (return), come from (have an origin), come up (arise or be mentioned), come up with (think of an idea), and come over (visit someone's home).
I came across an old photo while I was cleaning the cupboard.
Why it works: Come across means find something unexpectedly in this sentence.
5 more examples
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Please come back after lunch so we can finish the meeting.
Come back means return to a place or activity.
Not this:Please
return after lunchso we can finish the meeting. What changes: Return has the same meaning here and is slightly more formal than come back. -
This recipe comes from my grandmother's notebook.
Come from tells us where something has its origin.
Not this:This recipe
is in my grandmother's notebook. What changes: Being in the notebook describes its location; coming from it describes its source. -
A question about the budget came up during the meeting.
Come up means arise or be mentioned in this context.
Not this:We
discussed a questionabout the budget during the meeting. What changes: Discussed names the action after the question appeared; came up focuses on the question arising. -
Leila came up with a simple plan for the event.
Come up with means think of or produce an idea.
Not this:Leila
suggested a simple planfor the event. What changes: Suggested tells us that Leila offered the plan; came up with also emphasizes creating the idea. -
Are you free to come over for coffee on Saturday?
Come over means visit someone, usually at their home.
Not this:Are you free to
visit us for coffeeon Saturday? What changes: Visit us has the same invitation meaning; come over is common in informal conversation.
Read the full guide
Start with the whole phrase. If you read only come, you may expect movement. In come up with a solution, however, the phrase means think of a solution. The words after the phrase tell you what kind of meaning is likely.
Read come with the short word after it
Come has a general movement meaning on its own, but a particle can create a new meaning. Read come across, come up, and come over as complete phrases before you decide what the sentence says.
I came across your email while I was looking for another message.
Come across here means find by chance. It does not mean move across a place.
Did the speaker plan to find the email?
Probably not. The phrase while I was looking for another message shows that the discovery was accidental.
Use come back for a return
Use come back when a person, thing, or feeling returns. The starting point is usually clear from the conversation, so you can say come back soon without naming the place again.
My neighbour came back from holiday yesterday.
Came back tells us that the neighbour returned. From holiday adds where the neighbour had been.
Which phrase is more natural for a colleague returning to the office: come back or come up with?
Use come back. Come up with is about producing an idea or answer.
Use come from to name an origin
Come from can name where a person was born or raised, where an object was made, or where information began. The phrase answers a question about source or origin.
The information came from a local newspaper.
The newspaper is the source of the information. It is not simply the place where the information is stored.
Where do these handmade bowls come from?
Notice when a topic comes up
A topic, question, problem, or opportunity can come up when it appears in a conversation or situation. This meaning is useful when you do not know in advance what will be discussed.
If any problems come up, call the reception desk.
Problems come up means problems arise. It does not mean that someone physically lifts them.
In the sentence about problems, does come up mean return or arise?
It means arise. The speaker is preparing for problems that may happen later.
Separate an idea from a visit
Come up with needs an idea, answer, solution, or plan after it. Come over usually describes a social visit. The noun or situation makes the difference clear.
Can you come up with three names for the new club?
Three names are ideas, so come up with means think of them.
Sam is coming over after work to help with dinner.
After work gives the time of a visit. Coming over does not mean creating an idea in this sentence.
Before you go
Remember this
Learn come phrasal verbs as full phrases. Use come across for an unexpected discovery, come back for a return, come from for an origin, come up for something that arises, come up with for an idea, and come over for a visit.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "Come phrasal verbs: meanings and examples"
What does come across mean?
Come across often means find something by chance. You might come across an old photo while cleaning, for example. It can also mean meet someone unexpectedly, so use the rest of the sentence to identify the meaning.
I came across an old photo while I was cleaning the cupboard.
What is the difference between come back and come over?
Come back means return to a place, activity, or earlier situation. Come over usually means visit someone, often at home. A friend can come back to the office, while a neighbour can come over for coffee.
I found an old photo while I was cleaning the cupboard.
How do I use come from?
Use come from to say where a person, object, idea, or information has its origin. A recipe can come from a notebook, and information can come from a newspaper. The phrase focuses on the source rather than the current location.
Please come back after lunch so we can finish the meeting.
What does come up mean in a meeting?
In a meeting, come up usually means arise or be mentioned. A question about a budget can come up when someone introduces it. This use is different from the physical meaning in a sentence about the sun coming up.
Please return after lunch so we can finish the meeting.
What does come up with mean?
Come up with means think of or produce an idea, answer, solution, or plan. For example, someone can come up with a simple plan for an event. Keep with next to come up before the idea being created.
This recipe comes from my grandmother's notebook.